Combined septic tank and grease trap



April 14, 1942. A, BENT 2,279,813

COMBINED SEPTIC TANK AND GREASE TRAP Filed Aug. 28,4940

Patented Apr. 14, 1942 COMBINED SEPTIC TANK AND GREASE TRAP Austin Bent, Land O'Lakes, Wis. Application August 28, 1940, Serial No. 354,504

3Clalms.

This invention relates to an improvement in the handling and disposal of sewage particularly in rural and other homes or buildings which are not served by municipal or other sewage disposal systems.

According to the conventional practice, grease traps and septic tank are made separate units and they are separately installed most frequently by being completely buried in the ground. Such devices, although requiring but little attention, nevertheless must be cleaned occasionally since it is found in practice that stoppage quite often occurs at the in-take opening.

The main object of the present invention is to simplify the installation and maintenance of such devices as septic tanks and grease traps.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing where-' in there is illustrated a combined .septic tank and grease trap embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the improved combined septic tank and grease trap, certain portions being broken away to more fully illustrate the construction; I

Fig. 2 is a plan with a cover unit removed; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The combined septic tank and grease trap shown in the drawing contemplates a main receptacle 5 which may be of sheet metal or other construction and of any suitable shape and in this instance it is shown as being of rectangular form. The main receptacle 5 is provided with a partition wall G'which divides the receptacle into two compartments respectively designated I and 8, compartment 1 constituting a septic tank and compartment 8 a grease trap.

The receptacle 5 and partition 6 may be of suitable metal plates welded or otherwise joined together to insure a permanent, rigid structure.

Inlet openings indicated at 9 and ID are provided in the wall ll of the main receptacle and V 5 and H, are preferably removably mounted in the communicate respectively with the upper portions of the septic tank compartment 1 and the grease trap compartment 8. If desired, provision may be made for facilitating the connection of suitable drain tile or other piping to said inlet openings. A baffle plate I! is removably mounted in the septic tank in front of the inlet opening 8, such plate being so mounted in this instance by being slidably fitted within guide members I 3 which may be suitably secured to the wall 50 trated positions.

substantially below the inlet opening 9 so as .to

effectively direct sewage downwardly into the septic tank.

10 A removable 'baflie plate H is associated with the inlet opening ill in the grease trap compartment 8, such baiile plate being in this instance of angular form as clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 2, and being slidably mounted so as to be removable by means of guides such as indicated at I 5 carried by the wall I l of the receptacle. Suitable means is also provided for engaging the bottom edge of the baflie member I to prevent its dropping downwardly to the bottom of the go grease trap, said baflie member It being of considerably less depth than the depth of the grease trap but nevertheless extending downwardly substantially below the inlet opening I 0.

An outlet opening is provided in the wall l8 2; of the receptacle, such outlet opening being indicated at I1 and communicating directly with the grease trap compartment 8. The outlet opening I! is located at a level somewhat below the level ofthe inlet openings 9 and I0 and a baflle plate I8 is provided in the grease trap in front of the outlet opening I! to prevent the iioatinggrease from reaching the outlet openmg ll.

The septic tank compartment 1 communicates with the outlet opening. I! through an opening is provided in the upper corner of the partition wall 6 adjacent the wall It of the receptacle. To prevent solid matter which normally floats in the septic tank compartment 1 from reaching '49: the outlet I! there is provided a baflle plate 20.

the same extending downwardly somewhat below the bottom of the opening l9 and to about the same extent as the in-take bafile l3.

The baflie plates I8 and 20, like the baflies l2 respective compartments by being slidable in suitably formed guides as indicated, and, of course, suitable stop means is provided for supporting the baflie plates i 8 and 20, in the illus- For example, the guide members for the bafiie plates may have their lower end portions turned under as indicated at 2|.

The combination septic tank and grease trap structure thus described may be provided with H and parts 6 as indicated. Suitable provision I, any suitable form of cover and buried in the them in proper position on the receptacle andv extension, respectively. The extension 23 may a be of considerably reduced transverse dimensions as compared with the dimensions of the main" receptacle while nevertheless providing adequate room to facilitate cleaning of the septic tank and grease trap and removal of the baille plates I 2 and i4 when required for cleaning purposes.

As a general rule, removal of the bameplates II and III is not necessary but it will be apparent that the extension top may be lengthened so as to extend over said bailie plates l8 and to permit their removal if desired.

The improved structure with its extension 23 may be buried in the ground and the cover 24 of. the extension covered to a relatively. thin depth which will nevertheless be sumcient to adequately conceal the structure while at the 7 same time requiring no excessive amount of digging to gain access to the top 24. However,

if desired, the extension 23 may be of such length that the cover 24 will be disposed on the surface of the ground so as to be readily accessible without any digging.

It will be apparent that the described strut;

ture simplifies the matter of installation and maintenance of septic tanks and grease traps in that it requires the burying oglbut asingle uni tary structure and in that it provides for access for cleaning or other purposes to both the septic' tank and grease trap through a single opening.

Changes in the shape and arrangement of the combined structure and in the various described W details may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1.111 a device of the class described, a receptacle having a partition ,wall separating the r receptacle'into a pair of compartments, said r5!- ceptacle having a pair of relatively independent inlet openings respectively communicating with said compartments, and an outlet opening communicating with one of said compartrnents'in spaced relation to the inlet opening thereof and at a level lower than that of said inlet opening, a baille plate in said last mentioned compartment spacedfrom said outlet opening and depending from a level above said outlet opening to below the same, said partition having an opening intermediate said baifle plate and the wall portion having said outlet opening and above the latter, and a bailie plate in the other of said compartments overlying said partition opening and extending downwardly to a level below the same.

2. In a device of the cla s described, a receptacle having a partition wall separating the receptacle into a pair of compartments, said rcceptacle having a pair {of relatively independent inlet openings respectively communicating with said compartments, a baille plate in each of said compartments overlying the respective inlet openingsand depending below the same, and an outlet opening communicating with one of said compartments in spaced relation to the inlet opening thereof, andat a level lower than that of said inlet opening, a baiileiplate in said last mentioned compartment spaced from said outlet opening and depending from a level above said outlet opening to below the same, said partition having an ,opening intermediate said bailie plate and the .wall portion having said outlet opening and above the latter, and a baille plate in the other of said compartments overlying said partition opening and extending downwardly to a level below the same. I t

3. A structure according to claim 2 wherein thereceptacle is provided with a cover having an upwardlyextending manhole volf substantially smaller area than said receptacle but of such -size as to overlie the entire. area thereof occu- 

